Comic Books & Graphic Novels

[Johnny Stooge]

I stay away from the clusterf*ck of comics some people like to call the X-Men comics. There's so many titles and so many things changing all the time, with so many weird and far out concepts, that I can't get into it, and I don't try to.
If you want recommendations, you need to let us know what you're into. Spy and espionage? Captain America (Plus it's the best superhero comic being published). Sci-fi? Fantastic Four, X-Men and Superman. Fantasy? Wonder Woman. Noir and grim environments? Batman and Daredevil (Also an awesome title). That's how it goes.

So yeah, Secret Invasion was a lot better than I imagined. But I don't see the whole thing being that good. It is Bendis.

We had the Australian version of Comic-Con here in Brisbane this past weekend. Supanova. Spent $430 in the first day. I bought All-Star Batman & Robin #1 for $7. Got Ultimates 2 #10 and now all I need is #9 and Teen Titans: Year One #1 and #2.
I also found the American copies of Justice League: The New Frontier and Superman: Doomsday. I was really happy with that

And for trades I got Wanted, Buffy: The Long Road Home, Serenity: Those Left Behind, Watchmen, The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition and The New Frontier vol.1 and vol.2.

I got James Kyson Lee's (Ando from Heroes) and Jewel Staite's (Kaylee from Serenity/Firefly) autograph.
And also a video of James Kyson Lee with Monica Rial (voice of Dante/Lyra from FMA) and Spike Spencer (Shinji from Neon Genisis) playing Sing-Star.

I got a sketh from Greg Horn, too. It was Cyclops, but it looked surprisingly similar to his sketch of Daredevil that he did for my friend. I asked him who his favourite DC character was and he said "I really like Emma Frost" lawl.
He also did a SHe-Hulk sketch which look similar to a Mystique sketch I saw.

Awesome weekend.

[square-enix]

Or, if you like mystical Kung-Fu billionaires, floating cities, a Kung Fu tournament, and rebellion, The Immortal Iron Fist.
I enjoyed the 90s X-Men cartoons as much as anyone but the X-Men comics just suck. It doesn't matter if you're late to any of the flagship titles (Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, etc) because all of them have been around for decades, which is one of biggest problem.
Few of the story arcs in these titles are original and it's basically rehashed material from the 70s. You don't have to know anything about the 80s X-Men to read present day X-Men. Very few references are made to the past because (depending on the writer) keeping within continuity would cause a lot of research. There's only so many times they can revive Jean or turn Gambit "bad" before it gets dull.
The other problem is that they're flagship titles. They're not going to end, so there's no conclusion to the series as a whole. There's no gratification for reading when you know the series isn't ever coming to an end. Imagine reading Harry Potter indefinitely because Rowling choose to prolong the conclusion with side stories. As much fun as some of these side stories could be, it'll get boring without a conclusion.

If you're looking to read a flagship title, it's best to choose a set of story arcs that a particular writer wrote. You don't need to know what the previous writers did.
For X-Men specifically, there's like six X-Men related titles or something every month.

For those who read the Lighting Saga and liked the Legion's appearance, you might enjoy Action Comics 858-863 which has been done by Geoff Johns. The interview can be seen here. It's pretty much a follow up on Superman and his relationship with the Legion. Personally, I think the plot is awesome, otherwise I wouldn't have suggested it. Plus, you know, it's Johns. I haven't had a bad experience with him yet. Sinestro Corps, JSA anyone?

I'm also looking forward to Legion of 3 Worlds, Final Crisis' sister title which takes place in the future.

Oh, and Stooge is a bitch. I gotta get into the New York Comic Con. Friggin look at the guest list. =/

[Josiah]

Yeah, I have to agree with both of you on X-men. I really was looking forward to start reading the comics, but it seemed like there were so many different storylines in different "Universes" that I just got lost.

But yeah, I'm really into alot of Marvel's works, but I'm pretty interested in Superman as well, so I'll definitely be checking up in this thread to see what you all are reading. xD I'm going to go check up on this Geoff Johns also.

[Johnny Stooge]

Originally Posted by square-enix

Oh, and Stooge is a bitch. I gotta get into the New York Comic Con. Friggin look at the guest list. =/

I hate you.

Originally Posted by Josiah

Yeah, I have to agree with both of you on X-men. I really was looking forward to start reading the comics, but it seemed like there were so many different storylines in different "Universes" that I just got lost.

But yeah, I'm really into alot of Marvel's works, but I'm pretty interested in Superman as well, so I'll definitely be checking up in this thread to see what you all are reading. xD I'm going to go check up on this Geoff Johns also.

Geoff Johns is exclusive to DC if I'm not mistaken. Currently he writes Action Comics, Green Lantern, Justice Society of America and Booster Gold. All being very good books. Two years back he was the guy who masterminded Infinite Crisis and revived the Teen Titans.

I definitely agree with square, when it comes to comics you're better off following a creator than a title. Don't get X-Men for the hell of it. Get X-Men because Brubaker is writing Uncanny. Buy Superman becuase James Robinson is writing it.

[wu tang goku]

Get X-Men because Brubaker is writing Uncanny. Buy Superman becuase James Robinson is writing it.

or get alan moore because its alan moore and he's the unibomber

neil gaiman too

awesome

[Johnny Stooge]

I have Watchmen and The Killing Joke. Tales of the DC Universe by Alan Moore is on my list. V for Vendetta never really stroked me well, but I do plan to check out League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell and Lost Girls.

Anything Vertigo by Gaiman is good in my books. When the money comes along I will own Absolute Sandman.

[square-enix]

Gaiman... yum. Anything Vertigo is awesome in my book.
I'm torn. I'm deciding if I should go watch Watchmen when it comes out. League and Vendetta were slaughtered by the film versions but... you know, it's Watchmen.

Oh, and

I much prefer his DC work but it's nice all the same. The artist is pretty much a given.

[Black]

I don't have a any comic book but I read
Ultimate X-Men <3
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Fantastic Four
The Ultimates
Amazing Spider-Man
Captain America

when I pick them up at the library

[big don mega]

i dont own any marvel comics and i dont plan on changing that any time soon. i have mostely batman, green lantern, nightwing, robin, and teen titans comics. **** grayson, or nightwing, is my favorite hero because he was the only robin that was a partner and not an erand boy

[Vice]

Anyone Else Pick up DC Universe 0

Pretty good for .50 Kinda Forshadowing that Bart Allen will return during the Final Crisis or something seeing as im pretty sure there not gonna kill a Flash off in this Series. At this point in time i think killing a Flash every Crisis is starting to piss people off.


Picked up Mighty Avengers 12 last week, Loved what they did with Explaining what Fury has been up to and is ready to surface again. New Avengers this week did a lot of Explaining of the Skrulls Infiltration

Cant Wait till The Blackest Knight Prelude.

[big don mega]

Originally Posted by Vice-Versa

Anyone Else Pick up DC Universe 0

Pretty good for .50 Kinda Forshadowing that Bart Allen will return during the Final Crisis or something seeing as im pretty sure there not gonna kill a Flash off in this Series. At this point in time i think killing a Flash every Crisis is starting to piss people off.


Picked up Mighty Avengers 12 last week, Loved what they did with Explaining what Fury has been up to and is ready to surface again. New Avengers this week did a lot of Explaining of the Skrulls Infiltration

Cant Wait till The Blackest Knight Prelude.

as for the bart allen thing, if you read teen titans issue 50, robin is going to end up making a clone of him and kon-el

[Johnny Stooge]

The Titans of Tomorrow... Today arc isn't set in stone. I really doubt that Tim will continue to try and clone Conner and Bart after seeing what happened.

New Avengers is picking up again, thankfully and **** yeah to Mighty Avengers. If Marvel wants to make a book for Nick Fury and his new super team, I'd buy it. This shit looks awesome. Loved that scene at the end of Mighty Avengers: "You do what I say for the rest of your lives".

Yay for the Action Comics annual, it's been like, what? Two years? Metallo's upgrade looks sweet, I hope Johns uses him in a later arc, but now onto Brainiac.
I'm sure people have noticed the de-motivator ad that features Hush with "Envy". First Mongul with "Domination", then Brainiac with "Oppression" and I believe the other one was Trigon, but I'm pretty sure I'm wrong. I know Mongul fits with GLC and Brainiac with Action Comics. The other one is for Reign in Hell and Hush is a Batman villian, but what could they possible use him for now?


And uh, so I read my first Matt Fraction books. Thor: Ages of Thunder and The Invincible Iron Man. Iron Man is now on my pull list, and I'd happily read a Thor book by Fraction. I loved that moment at the end.
"Nay, father. Some of us have been killing frost giants all day and are not in the mood for a tea party."

[supermariohat]

New to comics, but:
Marvel
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ghost Rider
Marvel Zombies (I'm just getting the collected HCs)
And I'm thinking about checking out Iron Man Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Good?Bad?
What other titles are really good?

DC
Alright, I wanna check out DC, but I don't know what to get.
Sugestions?

[Johnny Stooge]

Get rid of Ghost Rider. That's your first step. Next is to pick up Captain America and Daredevil.
Ed Brubaker is a genius.
Next is to get Thor. JMS.
I hear Matt Fraction is really good which was proven to with his Thor one-shot and Invincible Iron Man.
Then you can move on to Mark Millar who is doing Fantastic Four at the moment.
You can choose to follow Bendis if you want, but that about basically rounds out Marvel.

With DC you want Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison.
That means Booster Gold, Action Comics, Justice Society of America, Green Lantern and Batman.
And considering that Final Crisis is coming soon, and the wealth of talent attached to that, I'd say pick that up.
Morrison, Johns, Greg Rucks, Brad Meltzer are all doing tie-ins for Final Crisis. They're great writers, so basically pick their tie-ins. You won't know a damn thing, sure, but this will help to find which characters you like and don't because these are big cast books, which will undoubtedly be written well.

Also; James Robinson is writing Superman soon. GETGETGETGET.

[supermariohat]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stooge

Get rid of Ghost Rider. That's your first step.

What's wrong with Ghost Rider? The art is terrific and it's got an interesting story.